ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A chilling chapter in the city’s criminal history has been rekindled as federal prosecutors announced that Richard Leon Wilbern, 56, has been indicted for a brutal armed robbery and subsequent shooting at the Xerox Federal Credit Union over a decade ago.
The grand jury charged Wilbern with the August 12, 2003, heist where he shot and killed Raymond Batzel, a chilling reminder of the violence that can ensue from financial crimes. The charges carry a life sentence. Additionally, Wilbern faces a decade behind bars for unlawful possession of firearms as a felon in September 2016.
Wilbern entered the credit union dressed in a disguise, impersonating an FBI agent, and unleashed a deadly fusillade that left Batzel dead and another patron injured. The evidence against him is chilling: his DNA was found on an umbrella left at the scene.
The weapons cache uncovered at Wilbern’s girlfriend’s residence included a 9mm rifle, a SKS rifle, a semi-automatic rifle, and a .40 Smith and Wesson caliber rifle, all in clear violation of federal law given his criminal history.
Wilbern is currently being held without bail and will face arraignment on January 27, 2017. The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort by several local and federal law enforcement agencies.
The defendant, who has been charged with crimes, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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